Episodes
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Episode 089: You Haven’t Listened to this Episode, You’re Forgetful — Gaslight (1944) with Wind Goodfriend
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Wind Goodfriend in a discussion of the psychological concepts found in the amazing psychological thriller Gaslight (1944) — THE origin of the word de jour “gaslighting” ! The film stars award-winning Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, as woman who’s reality is being warped by her conniving and selfish husband, respectively. Within the psychological manipulation of gaslighting, the hosts also explore the ways emotional and psychological abuse is carried out in these kinds of relationships and even discuss a new scale that aims to help folks determining if they/re under the gaslighting spell!
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Episode 088: I Wasn’t Expecting to Be in This Movie! Inside Out 2 (2024)
Join Alex as he takes a solo look at the sequel to a film that lives in our hearts and our heads, Inside Out 2 (2024). While the film has a lot to live up to from its predecessor, this new entry into Riley’s head isn’t a slouch. A new dynamic and new emotions enter the picture as Riley turns 13 years old and beings puberty during a summer hockey camp. Of the new emotions, Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke), butts heads with Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), and well, lots of wild and crazy events happen as they try to put the best self-concept of Riley forward.…
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Episode 087: Flying Fighter Jets Requires Some Task Analysis — Top Gun: Maverick (2022) with Nic Baldwin
Join Alex and returning guest host Nic Baldwin as they chat about the job analysis required to fly fighter planes on a super dangerous mission against an unnamed enemy in Top Gun: Maverick (2022). Tom Cruise returns to the role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, with a new crop of young Top Gun pilots, including Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, among others, as they figure out how to complete this really hard… nay, “impossible” mission in F-18s against 5th generation fighters (which mat or may not be AI-controlled airplanes). With amazing visual combined with an original story that hits several of the original’s beats, this sequel has a number of psychological, as well as industrial-organizational concepts, including an in-depth conversation on AI-controlled military vehicles and what the future might hold.…
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Episode 086: It’s Not Voyeurism if Your Windows Are Open! Rear Window (1954) with Jane Halonen
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Jane Halonen as they creepily peer into Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological thriller Rear Window (1954). The film stars James Stewart and Grace Kelly, with minor roles from Thelma Ritter, Wendell Corey, and Raymond Burr. Another character in this film is the set, which was a meticulous reconstruction of a small Greenwich Village courtyard, meant to evoke paranoia and claustrophobia. In the addition, the duo reflects on voyeurism, scopophilia, and the various psychological ideas surrounding watching others when you can’t do anything else in the heat of a dreary summer. Perhaps your thoughts will run wild with murder!…
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Episode 085: Everyone Could Use a Little Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy — Good Will Hunting (1997) with Ed Hansen
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Ed Hansen in a discussion of cognitive-behavioral therapy and socio-developmental psychology in the Oscar-winning writer/stars Matt Damon and ben Affleck breakout Good Will Hunting (1997). But let’s not forget the runaway star of this movie, the other Oscar-winner of this film, Robin Williams! In a film directed by Gus Van Sant, Matt plays Will Hunting, a troubled but brilliant young adult who eschews therapy but ultimately benefits from Carl Rogers’ ideas embodied in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Join them as they pahrk the cahr at Hahvahrd Yahrd and chat! Wicked ahwesome!
Follow Ed on Twitter: @EdHansen_PhDAD
Please leave your feedback on this post, the main site (cinemapsychpod.swanpsych.com…
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Episode 084: How to Spot a True Narcissist in One Easy Step — Whiplash (2014) with Simon Rogoff
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Simon Rogoff as they explore the blatant narcissism in Damien Chazelle’s jazz drumming masterpiece Whiplash (2014). Starring Miles Teller as Andrew Nieman, the jazz student, and J.K. Simmons as Fletcher, the jazz teacher, this film goes hard. Fletcher is the worst of the worst teacher, who justifies his actions by thinking he’ll one day create the best jazz musician, while Andrew will top at nothing to become the next Charlie Parker. Explorations include, narcissism, of course, but also resiliency, perfectionism, and whether there are two narcissists in the movie, or just the one (Fletcher).…
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Episode 083: Behaviorism and Research Methods on Repeat? Sign Me Up! Groundhog Day (1993) with Jordan Wagge
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Jordan Wagge as they wax poetic and deep on one of Bill Murray’s best, Groundhog Day (1993). Written and directed by comedy ace Harold Ramis and also starring Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, and Stephen Tobolowsky, this movie has become timeless with the question: what would you do with a day that repeats over and over? The concepts explored in the episode feature heavily in behaviorist and learning principles, as well as a discussion of research methods and hypothesis testing. Of course Phil needs to learn how to be a better human, and what better way to learn than testing his hypotheses about death, skills, and love?…
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Episode 082: Would You Take This Drug? Limitless (2011) with Christina Ragan
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Christina Ragan as they continue their tradition of rage (?) watch another movie that has drugs that unlock portions of unused brain matter — Limitless (2011), a Bradley Cooper psychological thriller. Directed by Neil Burger and based on the book The Dark Fields (2001) by Alan Glynn, the film also stars Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish. Would you take a drug that unlocks amazing brain power, but has a high risk of death? These are important questions that Alex and Christina address, while also explaining the drug actions portrayed in the film AND what amalgamation of drugs could be contained with the NZT-48…
Check out the Neuroscience Teaching Conference!…
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Episode 081: Prozium Has to Be a Play on Prozac, Right? Equilibrium (2002)
Join Alex as he takes a solo look at the post-war fascist future of no emotions in Equilibrium (2002), Kurt Wimmer’s 1984-esque future where a city-state has outlawed emotions. The film stars an up-and-coming Christian Bale, Taye Diggs, Sean Bean (blink-and-you’ll-miss-it), with Emily Watson and Angus MacFadyen. After World War III, fascists thought war and crime were emotions’ fault, so they developed a drug that suppresses emotional extremes, and if you don’t take it everyday, read books, or participate in culture, well… Clerics come and act as judge, jury, and sometimes executioner! What do theories of emotion have to say about the portrayal of emotion in this film, and is its take accurate from psychological perspective?…
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Episode 080: Does an Android’s Dreams Define Them? Blade Runner (1982) with Chris Mazurek
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Chris Mazurek as they discuss the implications of a near-future world with human-looking androids called Replicants in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982). The film is based on Phillip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The film stars Harrison Ford, in between his Indiana Jones and Star Wars stints, who plays Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner — a person who hunts and kills (retires) these replicants because they’re not supposed to be on Earth. Rutger Hauer plays Roy Batty, the leader of the replicant group being hunted, who ends up a tragic figure rather than merely a bad guy.…